Millions face hosepipe bans unless the rain keeps pouring down

Millions of people face hosepipe bans within weeks unless the rest of June is a wash-out, water company bosses warned.

Severn Trent, which supplies eight million customers in central England and Wales said there was 'an increasingly likelihood' of water restrictions in the near future unless there was persistent rain.

The warning comes as the Environment Agency is expected to declare official drought status for parts of the UK within the next two days.

Parched: The scene at Cod Beck Reservoir, North Yorkshire, after April's heat wave. The reservoir has been reduced to dried, cracked mud after water levels dropped

East Anglia is most at risk of drought status. The region had just had its driest spring in more than a century with just 28.1 mm of rain - or a fifth of the long term average. Farmers are struggling with parched soils and cracked earth.

Despite the rain of the last week - and the deluges in the North West over the last month - rivers and reservoirs across southern and central England remain low for the time of year, particularly in the Midlands and the South.

Severn Trent is the first water company to raise the spectre of hosepipe bans this year.

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In a statement the company said: 'There is an increasing likelihood of water restrictions in some parts of the region, unless we see a return to seasonal average rainfall within the near future.

'The situation is under constant review and no decision has been taken.

'Our first priority is always to maintain continuity of water supply to our customers and we will open up a dialogue with them and our stakeholders before any restrictions are proposed.'

The last drought was declared last year in the North West.

Water problem: Millions could be facing hosepipe bans within weeks

Hard times: Agriculture has suffered a blow thanks to the lack of rain this year

Parts of the Midlands have seen the second driest spring since records began 100 years ago. Although major reservoirs were full at the end of February, many are now around 70 to 80 per cent full.

Hosepipe bans are most likely in Staffordshire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire, and could be introduced in just two week's time.

But the GMB union - which represents Severn Trent workers - claimed a new computer system brought in last year had led to 'complete confusion' in timetabling leak repairs and was contributing to the threat of hosepipe bans.

National officer Gary Smith said: 'Introducing the new computer system has led to water draining out of the reservoirs as the delay in fixing the leaks stretched out to 30 days, compared with the target of three days.

'The management will blame the weather and will seek to divert attention from their own mismanagement that will lead to a hosepipe ban in two weeks unless we get heavy rain.'

'An increasing likelihood'

Environment Agency experts are meeting today (THR) to review the water shortages in four regions, East Anglia, the Midlands, the South West and Wales.

East Anglia is most at risk of getting official drought status. If a drought is declared, the Government and water companies will be able to impose emergency controls over water supplies - including hosepipe bans and limits on the amount of water farmers can take from rivers.

A spokesman for the Environment Agency said: 'All these four areas are very dry, particularly East Anglia, but the decision to move to an official drought status hasn't been taken yet.

'There is no one trigger but it is a combination of lack of rainfall, the forecast, river flower, the ground water models and any predicted effects on wildlife such as fish having to be moved.'

Although parts of the South East have suffered parched conditions, the risk of drought remains low. And the north of England is also not at risk after a wet May.

The Environment Agency says a repeat of the 1976 drought is unlikely. That followed a dry winter when underground water supplies were not refreshed.

The Met Office says there is little sign of relief in the next few months.

Spokesman Barry Gromett said: 'There will be some showers this week, and rain on Sunday, but there is no sign of any prolonged persistent rain in the next 30 days.'